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La bohÃ¨me (Leoncavallo)

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Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, May 6 1897 (Conductor: - )
	La bohÃ¨me (Leoncavallo)
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	Topics La bohÃ¨me (Leoncavallo) Topic Home *La bohème* is an Italian opera Opera Opera is an Performing arts in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work which combines a text and a musical score. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition.... in four acts, with music and libretto Libretto A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, Musical theater, and ballet.... by Ruggero Leoncavallo Ruggero Leoncavallo Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer. His opera Pagliacci remains one of the most popular works in the operatic repertory, appearing as number 14 on Opera America's 2007 list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.... , based on Scènes de la vie de bohème La Vie de Bohème *La Vie de Boh?me* is a work by Henry Murger, published in 1851. Although it is commonly called a novel, it doesn't follow a standard novel form.... by Henri Murger Henri Murger Louis-Henri Murger, also known as Henri Murger and Henry Murger was a France novelist and poet.He is chiefly distinguished as the author of Sc?nes de la vie de boh?me, from his own experiences as a desperately poor writer living in a Parisian attic, and member of a loose club of friends who called themselves "the water dri... . The opera received its premiere at the Teatro la Fenice La Fenice *Teatro La Fenice* is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres.... , Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy, the capital city of the Italian regions Veneto, a population of 271,251 . Together with Padua, Italy, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area .... on May 6, 1897. Leoncavallo wrote his opera La bohème contemporaneously with Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italians composer whose operas, including La boh?me, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the List of important operas.... 's own treatment La bohème *La boh?me* is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Sc?nes de la vie de boh?me by Henri Murger.... of the same story. Puccini's version has become a standard in the operatic repertoire, whereas Leoncavallo's opera is rarely performed. Leoncavallo's version did not receive its UK premiere until May 1970. Allan Atlas has analysed in detail the different treatments of the death of the Mimi character in both Leoncavallo's and Puccini's versions of La bohème, contrasting the historical success of Puccini's opera and the relative failure of Leoncavallo's. le class="wikitable">
Schaunard, a musician	baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of European classical music male voice type that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice....
Marcello, a painter	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male voice type and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between the C one octave below middle C to the A above in choral music, and up to high C in solo work....	Evan Gorga Evan Gorga Evangelista Gennaro Gorga was an Italian lyric tenor. He is best known for originating the role of Rodolfo in the original production of Giacomo Puccini's La boh?me at the Teatro Regio Torino in 1896....
Rodolfo, a poet	baritone
Mimi	soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four part chorale style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melody....
Musetta	mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of European classical music female voice type whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above ....
Gaudenzio	tenor
Loafer	tenor
Colline, a philosopher	baritone
Eufemia	mezzo-soprano
Barbemuche	bass
Durand	tenor
Students, working girls, townsfolk, shopkeepers, street-vendors, soldiers, waiters, women and children - chorus

Place: Paris

Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
.

Time: one year from Christmas, 1837 to Christmas, 1838.

afé Momus

The innkeeper Gaudenzio tries in vain to eject the Bohemians, who never pay and are continually up to no good.

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Encyclopedia

La bohème is an Italian opera

Opera

Opera is an Performing arts in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work which combines a text and a musical score. Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition....
in four acts, with music and libretto

Libretto

A libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, Musical theater, and ballet....
by Ruggero Leoncavallo

Ruggero Leoncavallo

Ruggero Leoncavallo was an Italian opera composer. His opera Pagliacci remains one of the most popular works in the operatic repertory, appearing as number 14 on Opera America's 2007 list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America....
, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème
La Vie de Bohème

La Vie de Boh?me is a work by Henry Murger, published in 1851. Although it is commonly called a novel, it doesn't follow a standard novel form....
by Henri Murger

Henri Murger

Louis-Henri Murger, also known as Henri Murger and Henry Murger was a France novelist and poet.He is chiefly distinguished as the author of Sc?nes de la vie de boh?me, from his own experiences as a desperately poor writer living in a Parisian attic, and member of a loose club of friends who called themselves "the water dri...
. The opera received its premiere at the Teatro la Fenice

La Fenice

Teatro La Fenice is an opera house in Venice, Italy. It is one of the most famous theatres in Europe, the site of many famous operatic premieres....
, Venice

Venice

Venice is a city in northern Italy, the capital city of the Italian regions Veneto, a population of 271,251 . Together with Padua, Italy, the city is included in the Padua-Venice Metropolitan Area ....
on May 6, 1897.

Leoncavallo wrote his opera La bohème contemporaneously with Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italians composer whose operas, including La boh?me, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the List of important operas....
's own treatment

La bohème

La boh?me is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Sc?nes de la vie de boh?me by Henri Murger....
of the same story. Puccini's version has become a standard in the operatic repertoire, whereas Leoncavallo's opera is rarely performed. Leoncavallo's version did not receive its UK premiere until May 1970.

Allan Atlas has analysed in detail the different treatments of the death of the Mimi character in both Leoncavallo's and Puccini's versions of La bohème, contrasting the historical success of Puccini's opera and the relative failure of Leoncavallo's.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, May 6 1897 (Conductor: - )
Schaunard, a musician	baritone Baritone Baritone is a type of European classical music male voice type that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice....
Marcello, a painter	tenor Tenor The tenor is a type of male voice type and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between the C one octave below middle C to the A above in choral music, and up to high C in solo work....	Evan Gorga Evan Gorga Evangelista Gennaro Gorga was an Italian lyric tenor. He is best known for originating the role of Rodolfo in the original production of Giacomo Puccini's La boh?me at the Teatro Regio Torino in 1896....
Rodolfo, a poet	baritone
Mimi	soprano Soprano A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four part chorale style harmony the soprano takes the highest part which usually encompasses the melody....
Musetta	mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano is a type of European classical music female voice type whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above ....
Gaudenzio	tenor
Loafer	tenor
Colline, a philosopher	baritone
Eufemia	mezzo-soprano
Barbemuche	bass
Durand	tenor
Students, working girls, townsfolk, shopkeepers, street-vendors, soldiers, waiters, women and children - chorus

Synopsis

Place: Paris

Paris

Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
.

Time: one year from Christmas, 1837 to Christmas, 1838.

Act 1

Café Momus

The innkeeper Gaudenzio tries in vain to eject the Bohemians, who never pay and are continually up to no good. During the conversation another piece of horseplay on their part is discovered. They sit down to dine, while Musetta gaily sings. (Canzonette: "Mimi is the name of my sweet blonde.") Naturally when they are asked to pay the bill, they have no money. A comic fight ensues between them and the innkeeper, who has called his servants to assist him. It is ended by Barbemache, who offers to pay the bill.

Act 2

The courtyard of Musetta's house

Musetta's lover has left her, refusing any longer to pay her debts. In consequence, her furniture has been confiscated and it is carried down to the courtyard. When this has been done, she returns home. She expects guests but cannot entertain them in any other way than by receiving them in the courtyard. Here the Bohemians, who arrive in large numbers, celebrate joyously. The neighbours, awakened from sleep, protest in vain and the scene ends in a general fight between the two factions.

Act 3

Marcello's garret room

Musetta, who can no longer bear the sufferings of hunger and want, determines to leave Marcello. During the festivities in the courtyard, Mimi has allowed herself to be carried off by Count Paul, but she returns, motivated by love for Rodolfo. Musetta begs her to go with her, but she refuses. Angrilly, Marcello and Rodolfo force both women to leave the apartment.

Act 4

Rodolfo's garret room

Mimi returns to Rodolfo, at the brink of death. Musetta, who accidentally meets her there, sacrifices her jewels to procure fuel to warm the room for Mimi. As the Christmas chimes are heard, Mimi dies.

Noted Arias

"Musetta!...Testa adorata" (Marcello)
"Musetta svaria sulla bocca viva" (Mimì)
"Da quel suon soavemente" (Musetta)

Sources

This synopsis is adapted from Leo Melitz, The Opera Goer's Complete Guide, 1921 version.